Broken Shells
by Spottedeyes
Summary: "Your task, my only request as your mother, is to win. Become the most graceful, swift, beautiful, and intelligent she-cat in the SisterClan's Apprentice Wing. Let Rosestar select you for her son. Do that, and you will impress me, make me glad to call you daughter."
1. Chapter 1

Broken Shells

Prologue:

"Momma! Mommy! Tell us the story again! The one about StarClan again!" The shrill, song-like mew squealed.

The voice belonged to a small cream-colored she-kit. Her light green eyes stared brightly at her mother, a beautiful orange and white tabby. Another pair of eyes watched the she-kit, a young rust-colored tom no older than the she-kit. His amber irises shut in anticipation; he had learned his lesson two sunrises ago. It was time his sister did too.

Almost immediately, the orange and white tabby's amber gaze hardened and her lean figure tensed. Swiftly, she smacked her daughter harshly with a sheathed paw across the face. A cry of hurt escaped the young she-kit's jaws, earning another glare from her mother.

"Shellkit, manners." She said, exasperation dribbling from her tone.

The little she-kit bowed her head, her eyes staring at the soft, springy bedding beneath her paws. "Sorry, mama-"

"Mother. Call me Mother in private, Shellkit," she corrected, her eyes flickering toward the orange tom-kit. "Dewkit, what do you both call me in the presence of other cats?"

"Softbreeze, Mother." Dewkit answered quickly, his crafted voice slick and smooth; he never missed a beat anymore.

Softbreeze nodded her approval, "Excellent, my son."

The deep, brownish kit dipped his little head in acknowledgement, but said nothing more.

Softbreeze's attention redirected itself on Shellkit. "Shellkit, what will you say when you wish to be told a legend?" She asked, watching her hunched figure as she steadily recovered from the blow her mother had dealt.

Shellkit hesitantly turned her head upwards, making the mistake of watching Softbreeze's chest. The orange and white tabby shoved Shellkit once more, earning another squeal from the cream she-kit. Softbreeze stared angrily at her daughter, "Are you trying to provoke me, Shellkit? Sit up straight, and look me in the eye when you speak toward me. Do not squeal either, take your blows and fall with grace. No more of this stumbling."

The young she-kit fought against her trembling body, rolling back onto her paws. "Y-yes-"

Her mother's eyes flashed, "No stuttering, Shellkit! Would you like to take a walk with Rosestar? Do you remember Dovekit?"

Shellkit's eyes widened, she was about to shake her head rapidly, but remembered what had happened last time she'd done that. She forced a controlled shake of the head. "No, Mother. I do not want- wish, I do not wish to take a walk with Rosestar." She said, her voice shaky as she spoke.

"Dovekit, the imperfect she-kit? You do not remember her, daughter?" Softbreeze prompted.

Her kit-blue eyes nearly drifted away from her mother's as she fought against looking down. "No, Mother." She mumbled.

"No mumbling, Shellkit. Confidence is key if you ever want to be like Rosestar and have a mate like Timberstar." Softbreeze chided. "Now, Dovekit was a kit who was nearly of five moons. She was far too stocky for even a male kit, her thick fur was wiry and coarse, and her tail was stumpy. Hideous, that she-kit was. The SisterClan couldn't present a she-cat like that to the BrotherClan. That's why Rosestar took her on the walk to cleanse our clan of her imperfections. Just because you are blessed with a petite and lithe form doesn't mean your manners cannot get you expelled from the SisterClan."

Shellkit nearly whimpered in fear of being expelled, put in the mercy of the wild, but fought it back. "I will behave better, Mother. I will become the next head she-cat, Mother. I promise."

"You'd better, Shellkit. When I was an apprentice, I fought hard. Hard to become graceful enough to somehow replace the former head cats' kit, Rosestar. But blood is incredibly important, Shellkit and Dewkit. I did not have a chance against a she-cat who had founding blood roaring through her veins. I had to settle for a lesser position with a lesser cat for a mate." She said bitterly.

"Dewkit, you don't have a chance at becoming the head of the BrotherClan; you will have a lesser she-cat with a lesser rank. However, Shellkit, Rosestar's and Timberstar's first-borne was a tom, Scorchkit. He is scheduled to become an apprentice at the same time as you.

"Your task, my only request as your mother, is to win. Become the most graceful, swift, beautiful, and intelligent she-cat in the SisterClan's Apprentice Wing. Let Rosestar select you for her son. Do that, and you will impress me, make me glad to call you daughter." Softbreeze said sternly, boring holes into Shellkit's pelt.

"Of course, Mother. I can do that." Shellkit said, her squeaky voice somewhat confident.

"Excellent, now with that out of the way, I must ask you another question. When Timberstar and your father, Icefang, come tomorrow to take Dewkit to the BrotherClan, what will you say?" Softbreeze asked.

Shellkit blinked and breathed in deeply, she had been dreading that day for moons. The day when Dewkit would leave with Icefang and Timberstar to train in the brotherhood while she trained in the sisterhood. She loved her brother, Dewkit; he was her best friend.

She turned to face Dewkit, knowing that if she couldn't do it for practice that she wouldn't be able to say goodbye properly before her father and Timberstar. "Dewkit, my brother. I wish you good fortune on your journey into the brotherhood. We shall meet again in the Joint-Camp once we achieve warrior status, until then, I bid you farewell my brother." Shellkit recited, her eyes misty as she realized Dewkit would only be sleeping beside her one night more.

Softbreeze nodded her approval, "Well done. Shellkit, you will be a great she-cat one day, you just need to drop the silliness you have." Her gaze moved to Dewkit. "And Dewkit, what will you say to Timberstar and Icefang tomorrow morning? Then what will you tell Shellkit and me?"

Shellkit tuned her brother out as he spoke about his long speech he would be making tomorrow. He practiced over and over, day and day. The little she-kit had been more interested in how to make it to apprentice-hood in one piece. Her mother was raising her sharply, ironing out every crease, every flaw she possessed. No kitten ever cared about their final status until training actually began; it just wasn't something they would think about. Manners, now that kits thought about. Kits were expected to have near-perfect manners by the time they left the nursery for the Apprentice Wings.

"Excellent. You are ready, my son." Softbreeze announced, pride in her gaze.

Bitterness bubbled within Shellkit as she watched her mother praise her brother. Dewkit didn't have such high expectations. Shellkit wished Scorchkit was a she-kit, then Softbreeze would go easier on her.

If only life as a clan cat was simpler.

**Heyo! So I know this wasn't really a prologue, but it was more of a prologue than a chapter in my opinion if that makes any sense. So it's a prologue. Anyhow, I came up with this idea while I was working on the next chapter for Pride, and I couldn't bear to part with it (put it up for adoption) so I wrote it. (:**

**~Spotty**


	2. Chapter 2

SISTERCLAN

Leader: Rosestar- Pretty reddish she-cat with green eyes and faint stripes on her pelt. (Paired with Timberstar)

Deputy: Brighteyes- Pretty black she-cat with startling blue eyes and blotches of gray on her pelt. (Paired with Deerstep)

Medicine Cat: Morningsun- Little light gray she-cat with green eyes and darker flecks on her pelt. (Paired with Ashtail)

_Apprentice: Windpaw _

**Warriors**

Reddawn- Pretty reddish she-cat with amber eyes and faint stripes on her pelt. (Paired with Eagletalon)

_Apprentice: Brookpaw _

Tallgrass- Long-legged grayish brown she-cat with piercing green eyes. (Paired with Acornpelt)

_Apprentice: Shellpaw _

Amberstripe- Orange and white tabby she-cat with amber eyes. (Paired with Antpelt)

_Apprentice: Jaypaw _

Softbreeze- Orange and white tabby she-cat with amber eyes and a white chest. (Paired with Icefang)

_Apprentice: Silverpaw _

Brindlefoot- Pretty white she-cat with blue eyes and a single brindle-colored paw and leg. (Paired with Adderheart)

_Apprentice: Tigerpaw _

Mossyrock- Dark gray she-cat with light tabby markings and green eyes. (Pair is deceased)

_Apprentice: Willowpaw_

Daisypetal- Cream and brown she-cat with blue eyes and a black tail. (Paired with Yellowclaw)

Birdfeather- Pretty brown tabby she-cat with green eyes. (Paired with Buzzardwing)

_Apprentice: Brownpaw_

Littlenose- Black and white she-cat with amber eyes and a small, pink nose. (Paired with Brambletail)

_Apprentice: Moonpaw _

Mouseheart- Small grayish brown she-cat with amber eyes. (Paired with Mouseclaw)

_Apprentice: Honeypaw _

Olivefur- Pale brown she-cat with green eyes and black tipped tail, ears, and paws. (Paired with Graystorm)

_Apprentice: Riverpaw _

Embercloud- Pretty black and russet-mottled she-cat with amber eyes. (Paired with Barleytail)

_Apprentice: Fernpaw _

Lichenfur- Long furred blue-gray she-cat with pretty blue eyes. (Paired with Flintclaw)

_Apprentice: Turtlepaw _

Shadowpetal- Sleek black she-cat with amber eyes and a white tipped tail. (Paired with Deadgrass)

_Apprentice: Duckpaw_

Bluesun- Light blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes. (Paired with Tallbirch)

_Apprentice: Swanpaw_

Craneleg- Long-legged white she-cat with black ears and green eyes. (Paired to Pricklepelt)

Mapletail- Long-tailed brown she-cat with deep amber eyes. (Paired with Lionear)

_Apprentice: Ivypaw _

Applefur- Russet and black she-cat with green eyes. (Paired to no one)

Quailfeather- Mottled she-cat with green eyes and white paws. (Paired to Thunderfang)

Lightpath- Slightly stocky tan tabby she-cat with amber eyes. (Paired with no one)

Wetfoot- Black she-cat with amber eyes. (Paired to no one)

Silentthroat- Gorgeous silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes and white paws; mute. (Paired with no one)

Apprentices:

Windpaw- Slim gray she-cat with amber eyes and light tabby markings.

Brookpaw- Pretty long-furred tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes.

Shellpaw- Pretty cream she-cat with light green eyes and darker paws.

Jaypaw- Pretty blue-gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Silverpaw- Silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes and a white chest and underbelly.

Tigerpaw- Gray and brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

Willowpaw- Pale gray she-cat with green eyes and a white underbelly.

Brownpaw- White she-cat with blue eyes and brown paws.

Moonpaw- Pretty gray and white she-cat with amber eyes.

Honeypaw- Gold tabby she-cat with white paws and blue eyes.

Riverpaw- Long furred dark gray she-cat with green eyes and a thick dark strip of fur along her spine.

Fernpaw- Gray she-cat with black speckles on her pelt and green eyes.

Turtlepaw- Tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes.

Duckpaw- Light brown and white she-cat with green eyes.

Swanpaw- Pretty white she-cat with black paws and blue eyes.

Ivypaw- Jet black she-cat with green eyes and faint tabby markings.

Elders:

Dawnstripe- Once pretty black she-cat with blue eyes and a lighter stripe along her spine. (Once paired to Vinefall)

Fawnspots- Light brown she-cat with blue eyes and white specks on her fur. (Former pair is deceased)

Ebonytail- Frail white she-cat with amber eyes and a black tail. (Once paired to Wolfheart)

BROTHERCLAN:

Leader: Timberstar- Handsome dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes. (Paired with Rosestar)

Deputy: Deerstep- Handsome mottled black and brown tom with green eyes. (Paired with Brighteyes)

_Apprentice: Scorchpaw_

Medicine Cat: Ashtail- Soot-colored tom with amber eyes and black paws. (Paired with Morningsun)

_Apprentice: Spiderpaw_

**Warriors:**

Eagletalon- Muscular brown and white tom with faint tabby markings and green eyes. (Paired with Reddawn)

_Apprentice: Firepaw _

Acornpelt- Deep brown tom with piercing amber eyes. (Paired with Tallgrass)

_Apprentice: Smokepaw _

Mottlefur- Handsome mottled black and brown tom with amber eyes (Pair was exiled)

Antpelt- Reddish tom with black specks on his pelt and amber eyes. (Paired with Amberstripe)

_Apprentice: Wolfpaw _

Icefang- White and gray tom with flashing blue eyes and gray paws. (Paired with Softbreeze)

_Apprentice: Rowanpaw _

Adderheart- Black tom with a white chest and green eyes. (Paired with Brindlefoot)

_Apprentice: Dewpaw _

Yellowclaw- Yellowish gray tom with amber eyes and light flecks of black on his pelt. (Paired with Daisypetal)

Buzzardwing- Rougher-looking white and gray tom with amber eyes. (Paired with Birdfeather)

_Apprentice: Darkpaw _

Brambletail- Dark tom with tabby markings and green eyes. (Paired with Littlenose)

_Apprentice: Quickpaw_

Mouseclaw- Grayish brown tom with amber eyes and especially dark brown paws. (Paired with Mouseheart)

_Apprentice: Owlpaw _

Graystorm- Dark gray tom with lighter gray stripes and green eyes. (Paired with Olivefur)

_Apprentice: Hawkpaw_

Barleytail- Handsome brown and gray tabby tom with an especially long tail and light green eyes. (Paired with Embercloud)

_Apprentice: Pebblepaw _

Flintclaw- Smaller black tom with intimidating amber eyes. (Paired with Lichenfur)

_Apprentice: Oakpaw _

Deadgrass- Black tom with brown blotches on his fur and dark green eyes. (Paired with Shadowpetal)

_Apprentice: Starlingpaw_

Tallbirch- White tom with gray spots and amber eyes. (Paired with Bluesun)

_Apprentice: Breezepaw_

Pricklepelt- Light brown tabby tom with naturally tussled fur and amber eyes. (Paired with Craneleg)

_Apprentice: Berrypaw _

Lionear- Yellow tom with a brown muzzle and blue eyes. (Paired with Mapletail)

_Apprentice: Foxpaw _

Thunderfang- Golden tabby tom with blue eyes. (Paired with Quailfeather)

_Apprentice: Rustpaw_

Snowfoot- Dark gray tom with white paws and amber eyes.

Apprentices:

Spiderpaw- Lengthy white and black tom with blue eyes.

Scorchpaw- Handsome russet and black mottled tom with amber eyes.

Firepaw- Handsome russet tom with bright amber eyes.

Smokepaw- Handsome black and gray striped tom with amber eyes.

Wolfpaw- Handsome dark gray tom with piercing yellow eyes and a black tail.

Rowanpaw- Russet tom with darker paws and muzzle and blue eyes.

Dewpaw- Fluffy rust-colored tom with a darker points and amber eyes.

Darkpaw- Dark pelted tom with green eyes and a light muzzle.

Quickpaw- Small-pawed black and brown tom with bright blue eyes.

Owlpaw- Brown tabby tom with a white chest and green eyes.

Hawkpaw- Dark brown tabby tom with a white underbelly and chest with green eyes.

Pebblepaw- Light gray tabby tom with white paws and blue eyes.

Oakpaw- Long-furred white tom with brown points and blue eyes.

Starlingpaw- Black and white tom with amber eyes and long whiskers.

Breezepaw- Black, gray, and white tom with amber eyes.

Berrypaw- Light brown tom with a white underbelly and blue eyes.

Foxpaw- Russet and white tom with green eyes.

Rustpaw- Small and scrawny tom with dull amber eyes.

Elders:

Sunstar- Frail, once handsome golden tabby tom with green eyes; former head of BrotherClan. (Former pair is deceased)

Wolfheart- Graying white tom with green eyes. (Formerly paired with Ebonytail)

Vinefall- Once handsome dark gray tom with amber eyes. (Formerly paired with Dawnstripe)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 1:

**_Guest: Yup, Dovekit's gone… or is she? 0_o And yeah the old clans are long gone. _**

**Nightfeather: It's a little bit of both. Disciplining kits like that is sort of instilled in that particular clan's culture. To them, it's okay to slap your kits and yell at them because it saves them from a lot of pain in the future. **

**_Birdflame: Whoa don't die on me! Chapter one's finished!_**

**Stuffed Watermelon: Haha I know, I couldn't come up with better clan names, and I planned on having the two genders living in separate camps, so… BrotherClan and SisterClan! Yays! And thanks, I hope it stays interesting. (:**

**ZionCat2500: Thanks! And yeah, when a cat goes on a 'walk' with Timberstar or with Rosestar… well bad things happen to them… ******

_"__I wonder what the BrotherClan's Apprentice Wing will be like," Dewkit mused, glancing in Shellkit's direction. _

The cream colored she-cat stared into the impending fog, watching with anticipation as the misty substance moved quickly. Mountain after mountain was swallowed, tree after tree. She knew it was nearly time to go.

_Shellkit didn't respond to his question though. "I'm really going to miss you, Dewkit… I don't want you to go. I don't wanna be with momma all alone."_

Tallgrass wouldn't be happy if she had to fetch her apprentice in such conditions. Fog masked scents even more so than a river would. Shellpaw continued to watch the billowing mist; with every second it seemed to move miles.

_"__Fear is your enemy, my sister. Just follow the rules, keep your head down, and steer clear of Scorchkit. Do just that, and you'll find happiness; you won't ever be afraid again. I promise you, just keep the high ranking we were borne to and you'll have a happy life like Mother and Father do." Dewkit lectured, his amber eyes serious._

She couldn't help but wonder what Riverpaw and Moonpaw, her best friends, were doing. Shellpaw assumed they were being better listeners and staying tucked away in their nests, wondering why Shellpaw's was still empty.

_ "__What will come of me if I catch Scorchkit's attention?" The cream she-cat questioned._

Shellpaw was in no way a screw-up; she was beautiful, smart, and generally obedient to her superiors. However, despite her promise to Softbreeze those few moons ago, Shellpaw knew she had to mess up every so often. Rosestar would see her unworthy for Scorchpaw, and Softbreeze would be forever disappointed in her, but she had made a much more important promise.

_ "__It's not if you catch his attention, but Rosestar's attention. If Rosestar sees you as a potential successor… you'll have a much harder life. Taking the ugly and unacceptable on 'walks', deciding the best time for the next big litter of kits… deciding who will parent all those kits. Enforcing elegance, keeping the next head of BrotherClan happy, deciding who's ugly and who's not, it's a huge job. _

She couldn't afford to be perfect, not like Brookpaw was. The slender, pretty she-cat was one rank ahead of her; the top spot. And Shellpaw wanted it to stay that way, stay second best.

_ "__Rosestar puts on a good show, I can tell you that, but she's not happy a lot of the time. I know you wish to please Softbreeze, but do not put your own happiness on the line. Let someone else carry that burden." Shellkit's brother concluded, staring at Shellkit intensely._

What would be her excuse this time… meditating! Shellpaw would say she got caught up meditating, she didn't notice the fog in time to get back to the SisterClan Apprentice Wing. Tallgrass always seemed to appreciate meditating, connecting your soul with StarClan. Should that be her excuse, and her punishment will be virtually non-existent.

_ "__How do you know all this?" Shellkit asked curiously, still soaking the information up._

Traces of fog began to near her cream-colored head. Before she knew it, a thick fog had swirled all around her. It was thick, thick enough to hide her own paws from sight.

_Dewkit purred sadly, "I simply observe. I listen to Mother when she explains to us how things will work, who will enforce our rules, and how it will be done. I watch Rosestar when she visits all the she-cats _she _picks to have kits. When she comes to check on our progress, I just see how she talks, her body language, everything. Rosestar is an open book, even to me, who is barely four moons old."_

Shellpaw didn't dare to move now. SisterClan's lands consisted of incredibly high mountains and steep cliffs. One wrong paw step, and she'd be plummeting to her death- or worse, she'd plummet, but survive.

_ "__But-"_

She'd be ugly.

_ "__Please, Shellkit. Just promise me that you will not catch Rosestar's eye." Dewkit pleaded._

Rosestar wouldn't want her anymore, no one would. She'd go on the walk and never come home, never see Riverpaw, Moonpaw, or Dewpaw ever again. They'd all move on to great things, and Shellpaw… she didn't want to think about what she'd be doing.

_Shellkit managed a cute, unintimidating smirk, "As long as you promise not to forget about me in the BrotherClan." _

So she decided to wait for Tallgrass. The she-cat was a strict, high-ranking warrior; she knew the territories more than she knew herself. Such a perfect she-cat wouldn't physically be able to fall off a cliff like Shellpaw would.

_The rust colored tom hastily nodded, "We've struck a deal."_

Shellpaw wouldn't deny she wasn't nervous, but anytime panic came to mind, she'd remind herself. She was doing this because she promised Dewpaw. She'd make sure Scorchpaw never wanted her.

XXX

"I-I promise, I'm not lying!" Shellpaw cried out to her mentor, struggling to keep up with the lanky she-cat.

The grayish-brown she-cat growled lowly in response as she guided Shellpaw. The fog had overtaken everything; it would stay like that for a few days. Just white nothingness.

"Meditating? StarClan would not let any of its perfect children, who they've sworn to protect, get lost out in this. What were you really doing? And don't lie to me; I've raised kits before, so I know a lie when I hear one." Tallgrass snapped irritably, her tail smacking Shellpaw's cheek.

Before Shellpaw got to speak, Tallgrass started up again. "And don't think I didn't notice you stutter, Shellpaw. That was unacceptable. You must be firm, yet elegant; similar to a willow. You may as well let Jaypaw take your number two place in the apprentice rank, because I can just tell that Rosestar will get fed up with you soon enough. Do you really wish to go on a walk alone with Rosestar?"

Shellpaw went to respond again, but Tallgrass still hadn't finished.

"And what about winning? You're second best. All you have to do is beat out that slob, Brookpaw, and you'll be prime material for the next head of SisterClan. Reddawn may be Rosestar's sister, but that doesn't mean her apprentice has to succeed her, Shellpaw. You deserve Brookpaw's position! Every time you spar her, she loses to you, Shellpaw. Every time you two hunt, you end up catching more. You beat her at everything, but then just as you're about to get promoted, you do something stupid like this!"

Shellpaw fought a flinch despite the fog. "Perhaps Brookpaw would be a better leader than myself though. Just because I fight better and hunt more efficiently doesn't mean I'll be able to lead better than her." She defended calmly.

Tallgrass didn't surprise her apprentice when a loud snarl escaped her maw. "That does mean you'll be better! SisterClan won't fear and BrotherClan will not respect a head she-cat who can be bested by her underlings. You're the best, Shellpaw. I don't know why in StarClan you keep fighting so hard against it; it would be an honor to take Rosestar's place."

As much as the cream she-cat longed to snap back at Tallgrass, tell her she was wrong, she didn't. She just kept replaying her promise to Dewpaw in the back of her mind along with Softbreeze's. She was meeting them both in the middle. Brookpaw would become Brookstar, a head she-cat, and Shellpaw would settle for her warrior name and high rank. And should Shellpaw continue to excel at training, Brookpaw would most likely give her the honor of bearing kits. It would all work out, she just had to keep her jaws shut.

Shellpaw barely bit back a groan when Tallgrass said something else, "And as long as you keep that complexion of yours intact, your beauty shall shine though. Admit it, Shellpaw. You're far more beautiful and superior than Brookpaw. Don't you agree?"

"Yes," she managed, keeping her voice casual yet professional. Tallgrass, every cat for that matter, appreciated it when apprentices like herself kept inner opinions silent.

"Try then. I do not, no, I _refuse _to see you bow down and respond to Brookpaw's beck and call. Beat her, Shellpaw. It's an order. I will arrange a time for Rosestar to come out and reassess ranks amongst the two of you." Tallgrass growled, leaving no room for argument.

The cream she-cat barely stifled a gasp. Although Tallgrass often complained about Shellpaw being second best to Brookpaw, she had never talked about going that far with anything. Calling upon the head she-cat to complain about a misjudgment in apprentice rank… it didn't happen. If it was proven to be a misjudgment on Rosestar's part, than not only does it make her look bad, but usually the cat who demanded for the reassessment was harassed and put down by her fellow clanmates. You don't upstage the head she-cat without a price.

This was a big risk for Tallgrass, but she had always been devoted to her clan. She wanted the right cat in place for the right job, and she truly believed Shellpaw was the correct she-cat to succeed Rosestar. And she would go to the end of the earth to make it happen. Even if it meant risking her reputation, safety, and dignity.

Shellpaw merely nodded, more to herself than anything. She couldn't promise Tallgrass anything; Dewpaw's promise was higher up on her priority list. It always would be. Should Tallgrass go through with her statement, Shellpaw would have to do one thing she hated: throw the competition in Brookpaw's favor.

The head SisterClan apprentice irked Shellpaw. Her attitude, facial expression, the way she groomed herself, everything. Brookpaw thought she was the only cat graced by StarClan; no one else. Shellpaw didn't want Brookpaw to become the head she-cat, but she didn't want to be head she-cat either. She secretly hoped Jaypaw would step up and challenge Shellpaw, then gun for Brookpaw's position. The pretty blue-gray she-cat was a stuck up snob as well, but she was nowhere near Brookpaw's level of arrogance. Besides, if Jaypaw became the highest ranking apprentice, Shellpaw could challenge Brookpaw for real; humiliate her even more.

As much as Shellpaw wanted to do that now, beat Brookpaw and take her place; let the world know she was the best, the prettiest, the fairest, the one. She couldn't. She loved her brother too much to let him down. And no amount of urging or peer pressure could make Shellpaw decide otherwise. She was willing to let her mother down for it; the ultimate sin in the joint clans.

"Tallgrass, how far are we from the Apprentice Wing?" Shellpaw asked, focusing hard on Tallgrass's tail.

"We are nearly there," Tallgrass said tersely, "luckily you hadn't gone to 'meditate' too far from the Wing."

Just as she'd spoken, Shellpaw felt the familiar trail that connected the main SisterClan camp to the SisterClan Apprentice Wing beneath her paws. The dirt was soft and moldable against her paw pads; a comforting feeling. She stopped focusing on Tallgrass's figure as much now that she knew exactly where she was.

A wave of relief crashed through Shellpaw when her nose was greeted with the scents of her wing-mates. Shellpaw nearly bumped into her mentor when she stopped suddenly.

"Shellpaw, I trust a she-cat like you can find her way back to her nest, no? I have to get back to the main SisterClan camp. I trust that you will do the right thing and stay in the Apprentice Wing until when I come to fetch you." Tallgrass said, a question in her voice.

"Indeed, Tallgrass. Thank you for fetching me from the mountains, and I must offer my sincerest apologies for putting you through the trouble of finding me. I will abide by your wishes and stay in the Apprentice Wing until you come for me." The apprentice said, nodding to her despite the thick fog.

"Excellent. Until the fog clears, Shellpaw."

With that, the tall grayish brown she-cat left her apprentice on the path. After her mentor left, Shellpaw couldn't help but feel her confidence falter. She nearly forgot where she was, the only reminder she had being the soft dirt her claws had subconsciously dug into. Her heart thrummed twice as fast at the thought of wondering off the path and getting lost for real.

Tallgrass wouldn't be there to save her a second time around.

Taking a deep breath of the dense fog, Shellpaw shuffled forward, letting the scents of her clanmates and the dirt underpaw guide her back to the Wing.

With every step in the correct direction, her confidence slowly built itself back up. Her head held high, she strode into the Wing's clearing and made her way to where she slept. The dens were all dug out into a dirt and rock cave, trees and shrubbery made it pretty enough to satisfy the SisterClan apprentices. With the exception of Windpaw, the SisterClan's medicine cat apprentice, and another she-cat, all apprentices slept there in the shallow cavern. That other she-cat was Brookpaw.

Rather than sharing a den with the other female apprentices, the slim and pretty she-cat slept in the base of a hollowed out tree. Any time Shellpaw looked at that tree, she felt a mix of envy and sympathy. While she believed that Brookpaw didn't deserve such special treatment, she felt badly for her. Spending nights and days like this all alone, concealed in the trunk of a tree had to get lonely at times.

Shellpaw personally couldn't imagine a world where her nest wasn't nestled between Riverpaw's and Moonpaw's nests. The two were like the sisters she never had. Riverpaw was the intelligent one, the one who knew how to talk her way around just about anything. Moonpaw was the innocent one, the cat who barely knew anything about the world. And then there was her, Shellpaw, the enigma. One moment Shellpaw would be doing everything in her power to best every apprentice in the Wing, vowing to throw Brookpaw to her rightful place. The next, she would be wondering away to keep herself from the power she wanted so badly. She could go from ferocious to submissive, from intelligent to naïve, from purposeful to careless all in a moment's notice; no one could quite figure her out.

Her heart beat quickened in excitement at the prospect of the next few days of fog. She would be able to talk to her two best friends for days on end without any warriors coming to train them. Riverpaw would surely drone on about training and Moonpaw would likely revisit her recent finds as she spoke to her friends. Shellpaw wouldn't have it any other way.

Shellpaw poked her cream head through the cavern, quickly gaining all of the attention. She slipped all the way in and sauntered to her nest, ignoring the annoyed whispers of her den-mates.

The two she-cats sitting around her empty nest, a long-furred dark gray cat and a pretty gray and white cat stared at her. Riverpaw and Moonpaw.

The cream she-cat was then greeted with an expected question. "Where in StarClan's name where you?"

Shellpaw shrugged, settling into her nest before glancing in Riverpaw, the cat who asked the question, laid. "I was just throwing the game."

Moonpaw tilted her head slightly to the side, "What game?"

She looked at the pretty gray and white she-cat next, "The rank game, the one Brookpaw's winning."

Moonpaw shot Riverpaw a pleading glance to continue the conversation. The long furred apprentice dipped her head in acknowledgement, "Why? Why would you do that to yourself when you're so close? Anytime you fight Brookpaw-"

"I win. But I don't want to win the rank game. I don't ever want to be called 'Shellstar'. I just want to be a plain old warrior like the rest." Shellpaw interrupted.

An awkward silence fell over the three until Shellpaw said more. "Can we just talk about normal stuff now? I hate when you two try to pressure me into challenging that egotistic she-cat."

**Yay finished! Other than that horrible ending, I enjoyed writing this chapter. Hope you liked reading it too!**

**~Spotty**


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